In a milestone for China's burgeoning commercial space industry, Beijing-based rocket maker Galactic Energy successfully launched its CERES-1 Y16 rocket on Monday, marking the nation's first commercial rocket launch of 2025. The rocket lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China at 6:11 p.m. on January 20, embarking on a mission aptly named \"On Your Shoulders.\"
The CERES-1 Y16 carrier rocket delivered five satellites into a 535-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit, including the Yunyao-1 37 to 40 satellites and the JTX A-05 satellite. This launch signifies a significant advancement in China's commercial space capabilities, as it is the first rocket manufactured and assembled in Galactic Energy's new-generation research and development and production base in Ziyang, Sichuan Province.
To date, the CERES-1 rocket series has completed 16 launches, successfully sending 63 satellites into their designated orbits. The four Yunyao-1 satellites are equipped with Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) occultation detection payloads, enabling the collection of vital atmospheric data such as temperature, humidity, pressure, and ionospheric electron density. These satellites hold promising applications in meteorological observation and in testing satellite internet constellation systems for industries like mining.
The JTX A-05 satellite carries a hyperspectral camera payload designed to capture high-resolution remote sensing images. This technology can be utilized across various sectors, including environmental monitoring, industrial emissions detection, gas leakage identification, agricultural surveillance, mineral exploration, forest management, and urban planning.
Looking ahead, Galactic Energy is developing the CERES-2, a solid carrier rocket with a payload capacity of 1.6 tonnes. According to Meng Xianbo, the company's Chief Government Affairs Officer, the CERES-2 is expected to conduct four launches in 2025, with its maiden flight targeted for June. Additionally, the company's reusable rocket, the Pallas-1, has completed the development of most key technologies and is anticipated to have its maiden flight in the first half of this year, as shared by founder and CEO Liu Baiqi at Airshow China 2024.
Reference(s):
CERES-1 Soars: China's first commercial rocket launch of 2025
cgtn.com